Architecture

CDNLite is split into a control plane, dashboard, data-plane edge, and agent loop.

System Overview

Operator Browser
      |
      v
Vue Dashboard -----> Core PHP API -----> PostgreSQL
      |                    |
      |                    +----> PowerDNS API or local mock
      |                    |
      |                    +----> Config snapshots
      |
      v
OpenResty Edge <---- Edge Agent <---- signed config/heartbeat endpoints
      |
      v
Customer Origins

Components

Component	Technology	Responsibility
Core API	PHP 8.3, custom router	Domain, DNS, rules, SSL, settings, analytics, admin auth, edge auth.
Database	PostgreSQL 16	Domains, records, rules, snapshots, usage, events, audits, admins.
Dashboard	Vue 3, TypeScript, Vite, Pinia, TanStack Query, Tailwind, ECharts	Browser admin console.
Edge runtime	OpenResty, Nginx, Lua	Host routing, caching, rule enforcement, TLS serving, metric queues.
Edge agent	POSIX shell, curl, OpenSSL	Register, heartbeat, pull config, push metrics, push security events.
CI and mocks	Bash, Python, Docker Compose	Smoke/e2e validation, origin mocks, PowerDNS mock.

Request Flow

Client request
  -> OpenResty listens on 8081 or 8443
  -> Lua router reads /var/lib/cdnlite/config.json
  -> host/domain lookup chooses origin and rules
  -> redirects, WAF, rate limit, IP, cache, and headers are evaluated
  -> request proxies to primary origin or backup origin
  -> metrics/security events are appended to local queue files
  -> edge agent later pushes queues to core

Config Flow

Admin/API change
  -> Core validates and writes PostgreSQL
  -> ConfigService builds a snapshot
  -> Snapshot version is stored
  -> Edge agent signs GET /api/v1/edge/config
  -> Agent writes config.json atomically
  -> OpenResty Lua modules read fresh config

Data Flow

Data	Producer	Consumer
Domain and rule state	Dashboard, API, CLI	Core services and config snapshot builder.
Config snapshot JSON	Core ConfigService	Edge agent and OpenResty runtime.
Metrics NDJSON	OpenResty edge	Edge agent, collector API, usage aggregates.
Security events NDJSON	OpenResty edge	Edge agent, collector API, dashboard.
Origin health	Scheduler/CLI	Readiness service and edge backup routing config.
Audit records	Core services	Audit log dashboard and API.

Deployment Topology

The root docker-compose.yml is the supported local and CI stack:

postgres
core
ssl-scheduler
origin-health-scheduler
edge
edge-agent
dashboard
origin-http
origin-tls
powerdns profile

CI intentionally uses this root Compose file. Do not add CI-only override files; use environment variables and profiles for job-specific behavior.

Storage

PostgreSQL is the supported backend. The edge uses mounted local files under /var/lib/cdnlite for config, sync status, metrics queues, and security-event queues. Logs are written under OpenResty log paths and surfaced through Compose logs.

Security Boundaries

• Browser admin sessions are short-lived bearer tokens from /api/v1/admin/login.
• API token auth protects control-plane endpoints when CDNLITE_API_TOKEN is configured.
• Edge endpoints require edge ID, bearer token, timestamp, nonce, and HMAC signature.
• SSL material depends on CDNLITE_SSL_SECRET_KEY; keep it stable and private.
• Dashboard Vite variables are compiled into browser assets and must not contain production secrets unless the deployment is private and separately protected.